County administrator shares update as 2021 nears

As 2020 winds down, the Cook County Board of Commissioners had one of their busiest and most newsworthy weeks ahead of a major blizzard and Christmas.

During a very busy meeting of the county board Tuesday, Dec. 22, the commissioners agreed to set the 2021 levy at an increase of 3.95 percent over the current funding year, approved a tower that will bring cell service to parts of the Gunflint Trail and discussed the plan for distributing state funds to local businesses that continue to struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was also the final meeting for outgoing commissioners Heidi Doo-Kirk and Myron Bursheim. And the next meeting of the county board on Jan. 5, 2021, new commissioners Ann Sullivan and Stacey Hawkins will take their seats on the county board.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Cook County Administrator James Joerke about the latest news in local government.

Joe Friedrichs December 27, 2020